Created in God's Image

The image of God, as any other theological topic, has been seen biblically, historically, and theologically. The Bible teaches that God created man in His own image in Genesis 1:26-28. Then, in the third chapter of Genesis, Adam and Eve sin by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thus distorting the image of God in humanity. Even though it was distorted, it is seen that the image still remains in man through various passages in both the Old and New Testaments, including Genesis 9:6, which states that it is wrong to kill a man because the image of God is in him. The image of God has been approached from many different ways since the beginning of the church. In the second century, Irenaeus proposed that rationality and freedom compose the image of God in man. In the medieval times, Thomas Aquinas proposed that the image of God in mankind is the ability or rationality that man has to know God. Then, during the Reformation era, John Calvin proposed that the image of

person as someone with psychological, intellectual, and spiritual components. This is evidenced by her acknowledgment of the importance of variety. For example, she wrote of “the degree . . . to which the nerves of the sick suffer from seeing the same walls, the same ceiling, the same surroundings” (Nightingale, 1860). A nurse was defined as any woman who had “charge of the personal health of somebody” whether well, as in caring for babies and children, or sick, as an “invalid” (Nightingale, 1860). Above all, nursing was “service to God in relief of man”; it was a “calling” and “God’s work” (Bostridge, 2008). All nursing actions were guided by the nurses’ caring, which was guided by underlying ideas about God. Nightingale placed spiritual needs of the patient right at the top along with caring for the patient. She taught about obedience in relation to nursing and this revealed that she was creating a profession that was based on the role of wife and mother. In her teaching, she tried to concentrate more on the lifestyle and moral conduct of the nurses, rather than their professional skills. The measurement of the art of nursing could not be accomplished

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our like-ness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”(Gen . 1.26)

My personal definition of nursing is taking care of my patient as a whole; using my knowledge, being compassionate and caring, respectful and honest. Taking care of the; spiritual, physical and emotional aspect of the patient, and taking into consideration their family and environment. Learning about the different theorists I associate myself the most with Hildegard Peplau. Peplau believed that the relationship between the patient and the nurse was focus of attention, rather than the patient only as the unit of attention. (Chitty & Black p.314-315). Using Peplau’s theory my relationship begins with my patients as strangers and I try to

The art of human caring is one of the most essential parts of the nursing profession. Caring is not something that you learn to do, but something that is within you. In nursing, it is important to know what kind of nurse you want to be as well as the care you intend to provide to your patients. The patient is the center of nursing, and it is your responsibility to make sure they are receiving the best care that they can receive. One of the most important things is to be able to set aside personal beliefs and morals in order to provide patient centered care. The way that you approach and care for a patient is either going to make or break the effect of the care you will be implementing to the patient.

What does it mean to be created in the image of God? This question has haunted humanity for thousands of years. If we were created in His image then how exactly did we fall. The first section of the text speaks to this very question by conducting an analysis of the creation account in the book of Genesis. The text begins by noting that the creation of man was intentional and specific. Man was not an afterthought or accident. In face scripture states that man was “very good.” Scripture also notes that the creation of man was not an evolutionary event, given that this theory would deny the formation of man from the dust and the breath of life that was given by God specifically for man.

“In the day when God created man, he made them in the image of God.” -Genesis 5:2 (OI).

Throughout these stories God and humans are both described in similar ways. When God first created man, he "created humankind in his image"(Genesis

The medical field of nursing is based on servitude in God’s mission and through the means of compassion. Our missional goals must align with God’s (Wright, 2012). Nursing consists of care and compassion for the disadvantaged, weak, sick, and injured. This is in addition to the pursuit of high standards in professionalism, articulated in the delivery of a valuable service that is based on unique knowledge and experience, performed ethically, and practiced autonomously. The major characteristic of compassion is from God and how it relates to this world of professionalism is seen through nursing. Any job that advances God’s work in the world is a Godly choice (Col. 1:16-20).

Genesis 1:26 reads: Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, according to

"And God created the human in his image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them." (Norton Vol. A 159)

Nursing is a profession that provides quality and culturally sensitive care to help a patient achieve the highest quality of life possible. A nurse utilizes skills (technical, cognitive, and interpersonal) that promote all aspects of health. There are many components to nursing. “The primary objectives of the nurse as caregiver are to promote health, to prevent illness, to restore health, and to facilitate coping with illness, disability, or death” (Taylor, Lillis, & Lynn, 2015, p. 43). A nurse recognizes the worth of all people and understands the importance of doing what is best for the patient. A competent nurse builds a relationship with the patient that is the perfect balance between professionalism and treating the patient like family. Nursing installs hope in a patient while at the same time being realistic about a patient’s condition. Another aspect of nursing includes empowering a patient to feel confident and comfortable in making

“26 Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness...27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.’” Genesis 1:26a, 1:27

God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. He created the expanse of the sky down to the tiniest cell. He created man distinct from the rest of His creation. God created man in his own image and likeness and gave him dominion over the rest of His creation. The Bible affirms this in Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’” Humans were created in God’s image, yet after the fall occurred, this image was severely distorted. The image of God in us will be completely restored when Jesus comes again for His church. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Throughout church history, theologians have debated what being

The next characteristic in which he had created us in is holiness. Holy means “to separate or to cut off.” or (Towns 68-69) God is holy which means that he is separated from sin and cannot be sinful. Like himself, God has made us to have the ability to separate ourselves from sin and separation onto God. In the church as Christians we can use this attribute to help lead those to Christ. Holiness encompasses all of what is needed for some to receive salvation in the first place. As humans we will never be born holy, however with those we meet in the secular world, we can teach them that the ultimate goal is to reach salvation with God but also to become holy in God’s vision. The secular world is not concerned about being holy but instead more material things, however being made in God’s image, we as Christians see the importance of holiness and can be able to preach its importance for generations to come.